Phd-student, Laboratory of Pulmonology

**Contexte**:
The Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Vaudois (CHUV) is one of the 5 Swiss university hospitals. Through its collaboration with the University of Lausanne - Faculty of Biology and Medicine and the École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), the CHUV plays a leading role in the fields of medical care, medical research and training.

The **research interest of the CHUV’s division of Pulmonary Medicine** is to enhance our understanding of the mechanisms underlying disease initiation and progression in allergic respiratory disease with the microbiome at the center stage. In addition, we aim to identify interventional strategies for pulmonary diseases including, but not limited to, asthma, cystic fibrosis and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, as well as for lung transplantation, and to optimize our standard of care through translational approaches, and to optimize our standard of care through translational approaches.

**Mission**:
**The role of microbial exposure on lung barrier development and susceptibility to allergic disease**

Microbial colonization is important in the development of immune homeostasis in mucosal barrier tissues. Early life exposures including delivery mode, maternal commensals, antibiotics usage and environmental exposures can influence the composition of microbial communities. Perturbations of microbial composition can consequently alter immune development in mucosal tissues and lead to an increased susceptibility to, or exaggeration of, allergic diseases. However, studies on the effects of altered microbial composition on immune responses, barrier function and disease development have so far mainly focused on the intestine. Recent studies investigating these effects in the skin in early life have provided us with insights into the importance of microbial colonization in skin immune cell seeding and barrier development. Whether perturbations in the lung microbial composition and diversity in early life influence lung barrier function and the development of allergic lung inflammation remains to be determined.

The prevalence of atopic diseases has increased drastically over the past decades, especially in industrialized countries. Current knowledge in the field is limited to the influence of early life exposures on immune responses in the lung and susceptibility to develop allergic airway inflammation and asthma However, an important knowledge gap remains to be filled about the processes involved in the development, maintenance and function of the lung barrier in early life, and how alterations in this first line of defense against adverse environmental exposures influence the onset of disease.

This project is built on an emerging principle whereby the interaction between the microbiome, the structural barrier and immune defense is a key system for promoting and maintaining respiratory health and for protecting against lung disease. The main objective will be to identify how early life alterations in microbial exposure can affect lung barrier development and consequently influence allergic lung disease development.

**Profil**:

- Applicant should hold a master degree in immunology, biology, biomedical sciences, biochemistry or a related discipline
- Applicant should ideally have documented experience in immunology, molecular biology and both _in vitro _models and _in vivo_ murine models. Previous experience with microbiology, bioinformatics analysis and immunohistochemistry are advantageous
- Willingness to work with murine models and human samples
- Fluent in English.

**Nous offrons**:
**To become an employee of the world-famous University Hospital Center from the Canton of Vaud is an assurance of**:

- First-rate social benefits such as a Paternity Leave of 20 days and a Maternity Leave of 4 months (there is also the possibility to obtain a complementary breastfeeding leave of 1 month)
- Regular salary progression adapted to your responsibilities
- A 13th salary and 25 days of vacations per year
- A right to at least three days of training per year, by accessing a wide offer of courses not only from the CHUV Training Center but also from external providers
- Possibility to access one of the 500 furnished apartments offered in the surrounding neighborhoods in case of relocation in Switzerland
- Discounts proposed on social and cultural events, goodies and other services, thanks to the “H-Oxygène” association
- Signing up to our Mobility Plan and benefit from different advantages (discounts on public transportation, promotion of “Mobility” car fleet and discounts on electric bikes)
- Being able to enjoy our high-quality corporate restaurants, located in every hospital building, with employees’ discount